Rumour: Animal Crossing On Nintendo Switch Could Arrive Q1 2019

A new rumour has swirled around the internet which suggests that the brand new Animal Crossing title, which was announced during the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, could be released as soon as the first quarter of 2019. Nintendo has yet to announce exactly when Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch will arrive and the company hasn’t provided any in-game footage.

“Information from one of our sources suggests that Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch is most likely set for a late Q1 or early Q2 (calendar year) release date. Which in layman’s terms means sometime around March/April 2019. The game is also rumoured to be targeting a suggested retail price of €59,99.”

No chance, if you ask me. If they haven’t even shown footage yet, I just don’t see a realistic chance for it being far enough into development to be finished by early next year. I’d expect Q3 to Q4 2019 at earliest.

Just because they haven’t shown any footage it doesn’t mean it isn’t far along. There was no footage of Super Mario Party before E3 and it’ll be out 4 months later, there was no footage of Pokémon let’s go, other than the leaked image, before the end of May and it’ll be out 6 months later and there was no footage of Smash ultimate until E3 and it’ll be out 6 months later. No footage shown means very little.

So when are they going to show footage? Certainly they want to promote the game before launch yes? The shortest window there was 4 months, so if they want at least that much time (though clearly they prefer 6 months as you point out), they’ll need to show footage before December. Do you think they’re showing footage before December?

Except 6 months from October is March, so it’d have to be shown like NOW, to be released in March. Their next Direct is likely in November/December, so 4 to 6 months from that is April/June, 2019, meaning calendar Q2 is the very earliest. Original poster is right you need time after showing the footage to build hype, that’s why videos of the footage are good teasers, if this were coming out in 5 months with just a mobile app, it wouldn’t get people very hyped, because they don’t know what it’s going to look/play like. By not showing footage, they’re not going to release this anytime before next summer. You can bank on that.

It’s technically possible, but not very likely, simply based on the fact that they announced the game already, but chose not to show any footage. If the game was now far enough into development to be announced (with footage) for a release in Q1 2019, then it would have already been far enough into development to show footage at the previous Direct (because for a Q1 2019 release, the game would now literally have to be in its very final days of development). Since they decided to announce the game in the Direct, but not show any footage, it’s reasonable to assume that the development of the game just isn’t far enough yet to show any footage, which means it’s unlikely to be far enough for a Q1 2019 release to happen. Personally, I expect some first footage around E3 2019 and then maybe a release by the end of the year. However, they could also do a Metroid Prime 4 and make us wait for two or more years after the original announcement. Everything goes with Nintendo as far as announcements are concerned.

I think there’s a possibility. Their big summer games have been in July so far, Splatoon 2 and Octopath.
But if not in July, I would say May. Because Animal Crossing definitely isn’t their holiday seller.

I really want this game to be released no later than June. The game is so much more fun in the spring and summer because there are more bugs and fish, not to mention its a game that can eat up your summer free time

Makes sense I mean october and november are free months for a franchise to hold there own directs not to mention animal crossing has had a direct almost every year and there usually around the fall time

Are people forgetting Pokemon comes out on Holidays 2019?
This game won’t be competing against Pokemon, so it has to release much earlier.
Remember back to NL launching in June and then Pokemon XY on the holidays.
This has to be a summer title. To come out right after Fire emblem

Are you dumb? Let’s Go releases a whole month before Smash and that game isn’t meant to be played for months and months like Animal Crossing is. You’d have a point if the Let’s Go games were real Pokemon mainline games like the one coming out next year.

Unless they show a trailer or something this month, I don’t expect it to release at that time. HOnestly, we had Metroid Prime 4 revealed last year and that was a teaser and we haven’t seen anything of it since. If Animal Crossing is a repeat of that (we only got a teaser of the game for Switch this year), I recommend keeping your expectations realistic. Lest you be disappointed in case it takes over a year (or more) to release.